Meera Vijayann

Meera Vijayann has written extensively on gender rights, social entrepreneurship and innovation. Her articles and blogs have previously appeared in The Guardian, Open Democracy, CNN, Forbes and The Deccan Herald among other publications. Views expressed in the articles are entirely her own.

Without adequate medical, psychological or legal support to help in their healing, several survivors of acid abuse are falling through the cracks of the justice system. Now, instead of waiting to navigate this system, many are focusing on recovering on their own terms. What's more, they are pro-actively creating solutions for other survivors.

To advance as a society, the way we perceive fatherhood has to change. More importantly, men and boys must be empowered with the agency to participate at home without judgment. Across the world, 79 countries have taken basic measures to implement paternity leave policies, but the involvement of fathers in caregiving is still not perceived as valuable. It's not just patriarchal societal norms that limit men, it is an entire system that leaves them out in key policies that involve caregiving.

At a time when national morale is low and our emotions are running out of steam, the city is reminding us of the power of unity. What began as an outpouring of frustration against the weather, government and infrastructure, has now turned into a city-wide collective effort in doing something that we seldom have the courage to do: take charge of change.

Within our schools, a locus for socialisation for young people, a biased education ignores the impact that bullying, ostracisation and harassment has on boys. As a result, many boys tend to internalise emotions and act out violence in their adulthood. They are unwilling to appear "weak" or "unmanly" in front of their peers, friends or family members. What does this have to do with women? Everything.

Dharavi, like many other slums, mirrors our own social prejudices and stereotypes of poverty. By making up our minds about the lives of its people, we aren't just ignoring their voices, we're stripping them of the agency they deserve. The one-dimensional lens of the tourism industry doesn't help either.

Gender equality is a wonderful idea. I say 'idea', because despite all the debate, discussion and outrage about the topic of sexual violence in India, we have accomplished little in terms of identifying solutions to fighting sexual violence.

A teacher watches children assembled in the courtyard, mumbling their prayers. Yet, this is not a normal public school ground. Tucked away in the hot, dusty heart of Sri Perambadur in Tamil Nadu, the CEYRAC home for children is an institution for the sons and daughters of life prisoners.

To most of us, the idea may seem utopian; anyone living in Bangalore can talk at great length about the lack of space in the city. In local apartment complexes or in suburban residential colonies, there is barely room to park a bicycle, let alone find a spot to plant a tree.